FitSugar

Five Ways to Use Epsom Salts For Beauty

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:00:57 PST

Last night, I was feeling under the weather so my mom recommended I take an epsom salt bath to help ease my achiness. I hadn't used epsom salts since the sprains and strains of my high school athletic career.

But I was hopeful that this old-timey cure would do the trick for my adult flu. Of course, Mom was right. After a good soak with some lavender and cedarwood oils (a recommendation from Mandy Aftel) I felt healed, as if I had come straight out of the Dead Sea.

So, this got me to thinking about other uses for the miracle salts. I did some research, and according to the Epsom Salt Council, there are many beauty benefits to magnesium sulfate. . .as it's known in the world of science. To see what they are,

Va voom - Epsom salts can give hair body. Who knew?
What a release - The salts help replenish magnesium in the body, which can make energy levels increase. Which, in turn, can make you look better. A lift in magnesium also relieves stress, increasing serotonin levels and lowering blood pressure. Yay.
Smooth skin - Not only to the salts deep clean, try massaging handfuls of the crystals on pre-moistened skin for an exfoliating experience.
Oily no more - To help dry out oily skin and invigorate all other skin types, mix 1/2 teaspoon of epsom salts with your face cleanser and then massage for a mini facial.
Mask it - For normal to dry skin, whip up a three-ingredient facial mask: Blend 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1/2 teaspoon of epsom salts, and 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise. Spread over pre-dampened skin, wait 10 minutes, and remove. Next, refer to YumSugar for all other mayo/carrot/salt combos.

Source

5 Things About Epsom Salts

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST

Taking a relaxing bath is a wonderful way to reward yourself after a long run or a tough day at work, so while you're soaking in and letting go, why not reap the benefits of epsom salts? The salts are very inexpensive and can be found at the grocery store or the drug store - taking care of yourself doesn't have to be costly! Check out these five things about the salts and tell me, have you ever experimented with them in your bath water?

Muscle relaxer: Epsom salts are known to relax tight muscles and reduce inflammation. Just add about two cups of the salts to bath water.
Soak away the toxins: Soaking in the salts can flush toxins from the body.
Sleep more soundly: Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulfate, and soaking in them can reduce stress and help you sleep more soundly by restoring magnesium levels.

For two additional ways you can benefit from epsom salts,

Beyond sore muscles: The salts can help sooth ailments as harmless as bruises or as painful as a sprained ankle.
Endless exfoliating possibilities: No time for a long soak? The salts can also be used as an exfoliator to soften your skin; just get your body wet, rub the salts all over, and then rinse. If you want to focus on your feet, epsom salts can neutralize odor and are perfect for a relaxing foot soak at home.

Source

5 Reasons You'll Love Sea Salts More Than Epsom Salts

Jaime Richards — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:55:43 PDT

Too much salt in the diet might be a bad thing, but when it comes to using the substance on the body, it's actually quite the opposite. "I recommend sea salt because it's mineral rich," says Catina Stavroulakis, the founder of The Salt Project, a California-based company that manufactures beauty products using the healing powers of sea salts. She further explains, "Sea salt is a far greater soaking medium than Epsom salt because it speaks to the muscles and to the skin." Want to learn more? For a few reasons you might love sea salts more than Epsom salts, just keep reading.

3 Easy Steps For Treating Dry, Cracked Heels

Jaime Richards — Sun, 13 May 2012 03:30:00 PDT

Cracked heels can be a problem, especially coming out of the colder months when the air lends itself to dry skin. On top of that, these fissures can worsen as a result of the pressure put on your heels throughout the day - particularly if you're a fan of foot-imbalancing stilettos. Along with being less-than-aethestically-pleasing, untreated cracked heels can split even further, causing pain (and in some cases, infection). Prevention is key: moisturize daily, get pedicures as needed, and drink plenty of water to save your feet. But what do you do when your cracks are already out of whack? Find out how to do your own at-home treatment when you read more.

Battle of the Cleaners: Bon Ami vs. Vinegar

Emily Co — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:00:19 PDT

I just received an all-purpose cleaner, courtesy of the folks of Bon Ami, a firm that prides itself on producing cleaning products with biodegradable cleaning agents and preservatives as well as other natural ingredients such as baking soda and Epsom salts. Basically, the items contain products you've heard of and not some unpronounceable chemical name. Heartened by the nontoxic nature of Bon Ami products, I decided to test it out against vinegar, a versatile and natural substance you can use in many different ways to cleanse your home. Here are the results:

Bon Ami: I used the Bon Ami cleaner to clean some of the cooking dirt off my stove, and one thing I noticed about it was the very pleasant citrus smell. I felt like it worked just as well as any regular chemical cleaner and did a good job of cutting through the grease. I was really happy about the fact that the ingredients were safe and not toxic. The only problem I had with it was some leftover yellow residue. It was a bit of a bother to wipe away. I checked its website, and each item will cost less than $4, although it's apparently cheaper if you buy it in stores.

Vinegar: I'm a huge fan of vinegar as a cleaning product just because of its affordability and versatility. One bottle of 16-ounce Heinz white vinegar will cost you about $1 to $2, and you can even get it for less if you have a coupon. After I put a bit of vinegar on my stove, the crusty stains dissolved a lot more quickly than with the Bon Ami cleaner and required less effort with scrubbing. Of course, there is the vinegar smell, but it eventually dissipates after a while, leaving you with an odorless kitchen.

The clear winner: vinegar, vinegar, all the way! Although I think Bon Ami is a strong contender, vinegar definitely wins this round.

The Low Down on Epsom Salts

Heather Dale — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:53:58 PDT

Epsom salts, my favorite soothing bath crystals, are getting quite the bad rap lately. Are they no longer delivering their promised soothing, sleep inducing, muscle relaxing benefits? Um, not exactly.

The "bath salts" that have been tested positive for having a similar molecular makeup as ecstasy and methamphetamine are not actual Epsom salts. What's happening is that these fake bath salts are being marketed as Epsom salt-like concoctions so that they are harder for the legal authorities to track down. People who are ingesting these salts are experiencing psychological symptoms like paranoia, delusions, and panic attacks, while the physical symptoms include chest pains, sweating, nausea, nosebleeds, and vomiting. Make sure if you buy bath salts that the packaging is legitimately labeled with "Epsom salts" or "bath salts" and is from a reputable bath, body, or drug store.

Epsom salts, however, are amazing. Find out what the miracle ingredient in Epsom salts is that make them so powerful, and learn to create the perfect Epsom salts bath.

Mighty Magnesium: 4 Ways to Load Up on This Essential Mineral

Anna Monette Roberts — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:47:25 PDT

Magnesium is an essential mineral our body needs and is found in our bones, body tissues, and organs. A well-balanced diet will usually provide you with adequate magnesium levels, but if you are prone to headaches, forgetfulness, sore or cramping muscles, stress, or chronic fatigue, a deficiency in magnesium might be what's slowing you down. For ways to get a daily dose of magnesium, read on.

How to Make (and Give!) Scented Bath Salts

Jaime Richards — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:10:59 PST

Sure, lipstick gift sets and prepackaged holiday soaps are lovely, but a handmade gift always feels extra-special. There isn't anyone on this planet who doesn't like to relax, so treat your loved one to some serious chill-out time with custom-blended scented bath salts. To see just how easy these bath-time presents are to make, just keep reading.

5 Easy Ways to Beat Back Pain

Shape — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:50:49 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

If you've ever had back pain, you know it's the worst. You can't move without it aching, and almost any chore ends up feeling like a workout. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to get back pain relief; many of which take almost no time at all!

Massage. If you're wondering how to relieve back pain, one of the easiest ways is to book a massage for back pain. A recent study from the Group Health Research Institute found that Swedish massage may be better for easing low back pain in the short term than medication.
Yoga. Turns out that back pain relief may just be a Down Dog away. According to a 2005 study from the Annals of Internal Medicine, yoga may be more likely to relieve chronic back pain and reduce the need for pain medication than conventional exercise or reading a self-care book.
Tai Chi. Many times people suffer from low back pain because they have a weak core. Mind-body activities like Tai Chi can help relieve back pain because they improve balance and core strength.
Vitamin D. A lack of vitamin D has been linked to musculoskeletal pain. While not specific to low back pain, a University of Minnesota study found that those with chronic pain were more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency. If you're looking for how to relieve back pain, consider asking your doctor about adding a vitamin D supplement to your diet.
Epsom salt bath. If a massage doesn't fit into your budget, then a warm Epsom salt bath is the next best thing. Take a warm bath with a pound of Epsom salt a week for quick relief.

3 Soothing Ways to Use Therapeutic Sea Salts

Jaime Richards — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:00:00 PDT

Sea salt may enhance the taste of your food, but when it comes to beauty, there are many people who believe sea salts are far superior to Epsom salts. And one of those people is Catina Stavroulakis, the founder of The Salt Project, a San Francisco-area based body care brand that manufacturers its products using the multipurpose mineral as a main ingredient.

"Whether you're soaking in sea salt or smearing it on the surface of the skin, it's going to speak to the skin in a healing way," says Stavroulakis. To find out more about the therapeutic benefits of sea salts, just keep reading.